Beyond the Finish LineResearch insights from the

Invictus Games longitudinal study

Participation in sport for recovery through the InvictusGames has been shown to have a significant short- andlong-term positive impact on the recovery journey ofinternational wounded, injured or sick servicemen andwomen (WIS).

While the full results of the research project 'BeyondThe Finish Line' will be released in 2022 and willincorporate findings from the upcoming, rescheduledInvictus Games The Hague 2020; early analysis of theresults of the Invictus Games Sydney 2018 have so farindicated that competitors experienced greater post-traumatic growth than those who did not compete. The Invictus Games is an international, multi-sportcompetition for service personnel and veterans withphysical and psychological illnesses and injuries. TheGames are overseen by the Invictus Games Foundation,which inspires, improves and influences the recoveryand rehabilitation of those who serve their country.  As part of its goal to support the wellbeing of theinternational WIS community, the Invictus GamesFoundation has been supporting research into the roleof sport in recovery. This research is funded by Forcesin Mind Trust (FiMT), a charitable Trust founded by a£35 million endowment awarded by the Big LotteryFund (now the National Lottery Community Fund).  The research, led by Dr Celina Shirazipour, is exploringthe long-term physical, psychological, and socialimpact of sport participation for recovery, andidentifying best practices for sport programmes tosupport the wellbeing of the armed forces WIScommunity. The research spans the Invictus GamesSydney 2018, and the upcoming Invictus Games TheHague 2020, now taking place in May2021.

T H E R E S E A R C H

With support from Forces in Mind Trust, the InvictusGames Foundation has been able to extend thisresearch to take account of postponing the 2020 Gamesdue to the current global situation in responding to theCovid-19 pandemic. The final report with all results willbe released in 2022.

These preliminary research insights are drawn fromfindings from the Sydney 2018 surveys conducted withcompetitors from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, USAand Canada, as well as individuals who had applied toparticipate in the Games but were not selected(identified in the research as non-competitors).

All study participants were asked to complete surveysat six different time-points, with surveys starting threemonths before the Games and continuing through toone-year, post-Games. Questions focused on assessingcompetitors’ psychosocial and physical health (e.g.emotions, quality of life, wellbeing, post-traumaticgrowth and physical health).

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"I am now more willing to give things a go without the fear of failurewhen I am among veterans with similar experiences and injuries."

Brigid Baker, Team Australia 2018 Competitor

Competitors in the Invictus Games demonstratedsignificantly better psychosocial and physical healthboth in the short- and long-term compared to thosewho did not participate, suggesting thatparticipation in competitive sport may have distinctbenefits in recovery.

Of particular note were findings related to post-traumatic growth. Similar to the concept ofresilience, post-traumatic growth relates to theconcept that individuals can experience positivechange from traumatic or adverse events. While itdoes not deny that the adversity experienced can behighly distressing and life-altering, it suggests that,under certain circumstances, individuals candemonstrate positive improvements in psychosocialwellbeing.

Competitors experienced greater post-traumaticgrowth than those who did not compete. This wasdemonstrated through a greater appreciation oflife, a greater understanding of new possibilitiesthat exist post-injury and illness, and a greaterdevelopment of personal strength. These arepotentially important findings that suggest thevalue of sport programming in supportingresilience and positive change in recovery.

Early findings have demonstrated a number of keyinsights into how sport can aid psychological andphysical recovery:

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 The findings presented are encouraging regarding the important role that competitivesport can play in the recovery ofmilitary personnel.

I N S I G H T S

In addition, our new research is adapting to considerthe outbreak of Covid-19 and its impact on the WIScommunity. We have seen the pandemic as a perfectstorm for our community; re-creating the anxietyand uncertainty about their future that they would havehad following the abrupt end to their service, coupledwith the removal of a tangible goal and team trainingopportunities in the postponement of the 2020 Games.

Our Sydney 2018 findings highlight the need forcompetitive sport and physical activity to supportphysical and psychological health during difficult times.As part of our additional funding from FiMT, we will beexploring the response to the pandemic and its impactfor competitors.

Further analysis will explore the data across allparticipating nations and across both Sydney 2018and The Hague 2020. This approach will allow us togain more in-depth understanding of the impact ofsport in recovery and understand how these positivechanges are achieved in order to support optimalprogramme development.

The Invictus Games Foundation is extremely grateful tothe members of the international WIS community whohave given their time to respond to the survey. Theirresponses will help improve future provision of sportsrecovery programmes.

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"I never thought I’d ever be in a position to help others because I was the one needing the help,yet the Invictus Games have aided my recovery in a way I could only ever dream of."

Michelle Turner, Team UK 2018 Competitor

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Former RAF sergeant Michelle Turner, served for 21years and first competed at the Toronto Games in 2017.She went on to become Team UK’s vice-captain for theInvictus Games in Sydney participating in swimming,indoor rowing and powerlifting.

Michelle has a heart condition that developed while ondeployment. A nasty bug left her with posturaltachycardia syndrome (PoTS), which means that herheart rate fires up randomly, causing her to regularlycollapse without warning.

On one occasion her four-year-old daughter saved herlife by dialling 999 when she collapsed at home.Through fear of falling and injuring herself in public shehad confined herself to her home.

From her hospital bed after 50 collapses, her husbandencouraged her to apply to join Team UK. The trainingcamps enabled her to reconnect with her militaryfamily and find a new sport in swimming. Taking on thevice-captaincy role in Sydney meant she could helpothers. Michelle’s competitive journey with the Games helpedher to achieve her goal of making her daughter proud:“I have a little girl who saved my life by dialling 999, andI want to be a role model for her – not of a mum whostays at home and is scared – but of somebody whonever gives up".

She has since supported other WIS as they embark ontheir Games journey and she continues to serve byvolunteering with the Invictus Games Foundation inactivities beyond the Games.

Brigid Baker enlisted in 2002 as a General ArmyReserve Combat Med-Assist. She went full-time in2005 and was commissioned into the AustralianIntelligence Corps in 2006.

Brigid participated in many national and internationalexercises and deployed to Afghanistan several timesbefore being medically discharged with PTSD in 2017. Brigid is still going through the injury recognitionprocess; she also suffers from severe anxiety, majordepressive disorder, hearing loss, degenerative discdisorder and a number of other physical disabilities. At the Games in Sydney she took part in powerlifting,shot put and discus. Following the Games, Brigidcontinued with throwing and joined the local MastersAthletics Club, competing in state and nationalcompetitions. In 2019 she won the Australian 30-39year old women's shot put. She has taken up indoorrowing, swimming and wheelchair rugby league and ispart of the first Australian Capital Territory WheelchairRugby League programme.  Having these opportunities has reinvigorated her: "Ihave had great difficulty since being discharged andfinding a place to belong again. This experience has given me the courage to get out there again and findenjoyment in things once more.

"It is an unspoken understanding that the focus is noton the medals or places, but rather the support, friendship and guidance you can share amongst oneanother. I credit the program with givingme a purpose again."

M I C H E L L E T U R N E R

We spoke to three wounded, injured and sick (WIS) servicemen and women about their experiences of using competitive sport to support their recovery and rehabilitation

'Beyond the Finish Line’.

B R I G I D B A K E R

Martin Hailstone joined the Army in 1984, serving withThe Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire for13 years before transferring to the Small Arms SchoolCorps and completing a further 13 years’ service. In 2008 as a Warrant Officer Class One he was postedto Oman as a training advisor and it was during thisassignment he suffered life-threatening injuries in anaccident which ultimately ended his military career.

Martin sustained several fractured vertebrae in hisneck and back, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injuryalong with several other fractures and injuries.

Following a prolonged period of rehabilitation at HedleyCourt he was inevitably medically discharged from theArmy in 2010.

It took Martin several further years of rehabilitation andrecovery to come to terms with his injuries and theeffects they would hold over his further physical andmental progression. Part of his recovery processinvolved competing in the London Marathon 2018 forthe Invictus Games Foundation.

"This event gave me the aim and purpose to progressmy physical recovery, as well boosting my confidenceand self-belief once more."

Martin went on to complete several ultra-marathonsincluding the Marathon des Sables. 

In 2019 Martin competed in the Team UK Trials held atSheffield. Unfortunately he wasn’t selected for theteam which came as a great disappointment and lefthim once again questioning his physical ability as wellas delivering a huge blow to his self-confidence andself-belief.

Later that year Martin represented the Invictus GamesFoundation at the Algarve Challenge 2019 whichallowed him to re-focus on a new goal and once againchallenge himself both physically and mentally in hispreparation for the event.

"The challenge gave me the opportunity to work underpressure within a small military team. This helped meto further restore some of my lost self-esteem and re-establish my former confidence and self-belief."

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M A R T I N H A I L S T O N E

The Invictus Games Foundation, research team andForces in Mind Trust would like to thank everyone for

sharing their experiences to help us inspire, influenceand improve the recovery and rehabilitation journey

for the WIS community.

Published September 2020.

invictusgamesfoundation.orginfo@invictusgames.org